The post refers to a battle that the Swedish King lost against Russia in 1709. In a series of embarrassing events, he apparently fled and was later exiled to what is now Turkey. Charles eventually returned to Sweden in 1714 and brought with him köfte — spiced lamb meatballs — that eventually became kottbullar (meatball in Swedish).

Turkey rejoiced at the confession.

"Those famous Swedish meatballs you get in IKEA are actually Turkish, admits the Swedish government," tweeted TRT World, the publicly funded news station in Turkey.